London Assembly launches call for evidence on autonomous passenger vehicles

The London Assembly’s Transport Committee has opened a wide‑ranging call for evidence on the future of autonomous passenger vehicles in the capital, as trials accelerate and operators signal plans to launch commercial robotaxi‑style services later in 2026.

The investigation, published on 22 May 2026, comes at a pivotal moment. Multiple companies — including Wayve, Uber and Waymo — are seeking regulatory approval to carry passengers in connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) on London’s roads this year. Waymo is already testing a 24‑vehicle fleet in the capital, while Wayve and Uber have partnered on Level 4 autonomy trials. The Department for Transport (DfT) has also fast‑tracked small‑scale taxi‑ and bus‑like autonomous services for 2026, ahead of a potential wider rollout in 2027.

The Transport Committee is seeking evidence on how autonomous passenger vehicles should be licensed, regulated and integrated into London’s transport system. Its objectives include:

• Assessing whether and how autonomous passenger vehicles could be licensed for commercial operations, and the respective roles of the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL).
• Understanding impacts on employment in the taxi and private hire sectors, interactions with other road users, and alignment with the Mayor’s Transport Strategy — including Vision Zero, traffic reduction targets of 10–15%, and the goal for 80% of trips to be made by active or public transport.
• Evaluating risks such as cybersecurity, proprietary lock‑in, and the potential for large‑scale disruption if systems fail or are attacked.
• Considering accessibility, safeguarding, and the implications for children, older people and disabled passengers.
• Learning from deployments in US cities, where Waymo now provides around 500,000 paid rides per week across ten cities and holds an estimated 27% of San Francisco’s ride‑hailing market.

The Committee notes that public confidence remains low: while Londoners are more trusting of self‑driving technology than other UK regions, 79% still say they would not feel comfortable travelling in a driverless car.

The Institute of Licensing (IoL) recently highlighted the government’s opening of applications for operators to run self‑driving taxi‑style services under the new Automated Passenger Services Pilot Scheme. The pilot requires operators to demonstrate robust safety systems, cybersecurity protections and operational readiness, with every service also requiring consent from the relevant local licensing authority — including TfL.

The IoL notes that the pilot will directly inform the regulatory regime being developed under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, and that companies such as Wayve, Uber and Waymo have already expressed interest in participating. The first approved services are expected to begin operating later in 2026.